It all started with a simple idea back in 1998: do a digital version of a “lost” 70’s typeface, and make up the missing letters that were not present in the only available example Jeff Levine had to work with.
Jeff wasn’t yet doing his own digital font creation, so he hooked up with Brad Nelson who owns a small foundry called Brain Eaters Fonts. Together, they collaborated on “Action Is”- a freeware font named after the source of the type example. This was a title page for a commemorative photo album of images from the 60’s TV music show “Where the Action Is”, formerly hosted by Jeff’s employer at the time, singer-writer-producer Steve Alaimo.
The free font took off like a rocket, being released just at the peak of the 60âs/70âs retro craze in the late 1990âs, and it was EVERYWHERE! It showed up on TV shows, packaging and web design—and was even spotted on signage used on the side of a major amusement resortâs retro-themed hotel. From that point on, Jeff kept getting requests for a version with a lower case.
Although they shared the copyright in the freeware version, Brad Nelson gave Jeff his blessing to re-work and take Action Is into the realm of commercial type.
Newly improved and re-released as Groovy Happening JNL, it became one of Jeff’s better selling type designs. A simplified, yet similar font was issued called Groovy Summer JNL.
Now, after about a decade, Jeff had decided to clean up the 3-D (drop shadow) version that was originally freeware with many minute design flaws and re-release it commercially.
Groovy 3D Caps JNL is an all-caps, limited character set font which ties in well with the previous releases, yet retains itÃs 1960s-1970s era charm.
The font flag art is courtesy of Barbara D. Berney and is used by permission.
